'Stop religious tension with talks'

SEMARANG (JP): Scholars agree that extensive discussions between religious leaders are needed to reduce tension among their followers.

Unfortunately, "such dialog is still limited," Jaka Sutapa from the Duta Wacana Christian University in Yogyakarta said recently. He blamed the situation on the trauma left by religious conflicts in the past.

"It's difficult to ask leaders of any religion to initiate dialogs with other religions," he said on Tuesday. "At present, such dialogs are always sponsored by the government."

Indonesia recognizes five religions: the majority Islam, Catholicism, Hinduism, Buddhism and Protestantism.

Through the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the government has set up the Institute of Studies on Religious Harmony which aims to find ways to facilitate the campaign for a peaceful, harmonious co-existence among religions in the country.

Djamanhuri, of the Yogyakarta-based State Institute for Islamic Studies Sunan Kalijaga, said open dialogs between intellectuals would help reduce religious conflicts, which often have political overtones.

"Many religious conflicts which have occurred in the past few years were caused by political differences rather than by theological questions," he said.

Religious conflicts are aggravated once they are linked to political issues, he said.

Indonesia experienced an unprecedented number of religious and racial riots last year across the country, including several in East Timor, Irian Jaya and in West and Central Java.

Armed Forces (ABRI) Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung has indicated recently that separatist groups in East Timor, Irian Jaya and Aceh are exploiting religious issues to further their agendas.

"They are using religion to justify their causes," Feisal has said.

East Timor is a predominantly Roman Catholic territory, Irian Jaya is Christian while Aceh has a staunch Islamic community. The government is facing armed insurgencies in all three provinces. (har/01)